An Update from CMP Chairman and CEO Jerry O’Keefe:
As some of you may have seen on social media, we are about to roll out a new program – the new M1 Garand by CMP. In March we brought two “test” M1 Garands out to Phoenix and the Ben Avery Shooting Facility during the Arizona Game & Fish March Outdoor Expo. We did the same at the recent CMP Eastern Games in NC to begin to introduce this new CMP project and product line. It is in fact a project we’ve been working on for quite some time with our partner and the manufacturer of the receiver – Heritage Arms USA. More about Heritage Arms USA will follow below.
The CMP is excited about this new program, and with thousands of social media views and about 1,000 mostly positive comments, we hope all our customers and competitors will be excited as well.
What is it?
To start with the basics . . . it is a commercial reproduction of the classic and historic rifle with a commercial forged receiver as its centerpiece. The CMP and Heritage Arms used both the original drawings and specifications of a Springfield receiver and, of course, the actual historic receivers themselves to recreate identical, forged replicas of the original. And yes . . . it is, in fact, a forged receiver.
The forged receiver with a CMP serial number in the classic, historical font and format on the receiver heel makes this a unique offering. It will be paired with commercial barrels and a mix of other commercial and GI parts. Most will feature new stocks and barrels, but many complementary parts will remain GI.
Why did CMP undertake this project?
We did this for a variety of reasons:
- The first and most significant reason is the supply of government surplus rifles and pistols will not last forever. Therefore, as an organization that largely resources its many programs and competitions via the sale of these firearms, we need to develop new ways of supplementing the costs associated with our essential and expanding programs. From a timing perspective it also makes business sense to undertake this effort while we still have sufficient on-hand quantities of Government surplus firearms
One solution: taking our decades of expertise in the assembly of the M1 Garand and giving new life to its timeless design for this generation to enjoy as well as for generations to come. This is a shift in our usual activities but an important step in a fresh chapter of the CMP – one that will emphasize innovation for the betterment of marksmanship activities.
It should be underscored again that all our sales feed directly into CMP’s Federally-chartered national mission to promote marksmanship with a focus on youth. A reduction in sales could constrain ventures such as the National Matches, youth programs like the very successful JROTC air rifle series as well as the operation of Talladega Marksmanship Park and its events. It is of the utmost importance that we continue forward through valuable partnerships and through the patronage of our highly regarded supporters. After all, everything we do is for you.
- Next, we wanted to bring a new product to the marketplace that we believe will be a great firearm for a variety of purposes (i.e., shooting, collecting, connecting with our nation’s history). We’ve gathered thousands of hours of feedback from our supporters and are carefully considering possibilities for the future that will be beneficial to collectors and competitors alike. Some have suggested that M16 rifles or other higher capacity Army firearms might be next in the surplus pipeline for transfer to the CMP, but we don’t believe that will happen. Instead, for now, we’ve chosen to stick to our roots with the production of CMP’s new M1 Garand.
It should go without saying that we are excited for the endless possibilities that lie ahead for the CMP and for the opportunities it allows us to sustain a positive impact on marksmanship safety and education. - The third, and somewhat of a bonus, aspect of our new M1 is its rarity in the marketplace. It’s not just a new product — the combination of the forged receiver and the CMP serial number make it an extraordinary and completely unique product. And we do intend to produce it in some interesting variants, which will also be unique. More to follow on that below.
Does this mean the inventory of GI M1 Garands is running out?
Not yet. We have a good supply on-hand, and we are working with the U.S. Government to repatriate others from foreign countries. U.S. M1s are still out there around the world in good numbers, however getting them home is a complex, time-consuming, diplomatic effort, and certainly nothing is guaranteed.
Who is the manufacturer?
Heritage Arms USA. Heritage Arms USA is one of our many partners in Alabama – they are just down the road from the CMP armories and the Talladega Marksmanship Park. While having vast experience in the machining industry, Heritage Arms USA is a relative newcomer to the firearms industry. However, we’ve worked with them on other projects in the past and approached them several years ago about undertaking this project. The CMP is proud to work with local and U.S. businesses for the parts and services to keep our programs and sales going.
Heritage Arms USA is one of these companies. We’ve included some pictures and a short video to give you a look inside the process. The technology is quite extraordinary, but even with modern technology, the degree of difficulty to recreate the dimensions and tolerances of the original model has been time-consuming and honestly, quite challenging. That underscores the need for rigorous testing, which we’ve accomplished. And it certainly inspires even greater respect, and in fact some awe, for the original manufacturers who accomplished this at scale so many years ago.
Will there be variants?
Yes. While the first rifles produced and sold will be .30-06 and .308, we very quickly hope to bring other historically relevant variances to market. These are works in progress.
How will it be sold?
Since it’s a commercial gun, it will of course flow through the normal FFL sales process, much like how we sell our surplus M1911 pistols. In conjunction with this new M1 Garand by CMP, we are simultaneously deploying a new, more modern, streamlined, digital, online order form process. This online form will also provide a pre-order opportunity. Customers can visit https://thecmp.org/m1-pre-order-form/ to place their pre-order. Once we are ready to process the order, customers will receive an email with a link to the eStore to pay for their order.
In addition, since we now have CMP FFLs in our stores at the Talladega Marksmanship Park and Camp Perry, we’ll sell them directly out of those stores as well as mail order. For those of you traveling to Camp Perry for the National Matches this summer, we plan to have some available for sale.
How much will it cost and can I buy more than one?
The price of the .30-06 and .308 models will be $1,900 MSRP plus $40 shipping and handling. Customers will receive a CMP custom fitted hard rifle case with each rifle purchase. Other future variants will have different pricing, as will the early serial numbers. Other than the early serial numbers we’ll keep for posterity, we expect to auction the first 100 numbers. Later, three-digit serial numbers may also have special pricing.
When can I get one?
Soon! Bringing them out to Ben Avery and the Eastern Games to test, demonstrate and make public is a good indication we are confident and close. Operational and functional testing is almost complete. At the conclusion of the “test phase,” we will have subjected 52 “T” serial number rifles to a rigorous testing process, both in our test fire booth and at the Talladega Marksmanship Park. And yes, you might very well also see some of the “T” serial numbered guns on the CMP auction site. We have completed upgrades to one of our Anniston Armory facilities to support production of these rifles and stand ready to move forward. While I can’t share an exact date, I expect we’ll be selling these this Summer. So . . . soon!
What if there is significant demand? How long might I have to wait? Can I buy more than one?
First, we’d love to have this problem, and the answer to the question is dependent on the initial demand. Once we get our pre-order site up and running, we’ll get a better sense of this. While we have a contract with Heritage Arms USA for a certain quantity of receivers, if initial demand is high, we can adjust, and Heritage Arms has manufacturing capacity to produce more/produce faster as necessary. And you can buy one of each variant and/or as many of each as you’d like – since it’s a commercial product, there are no Government limits. Commercial rifles are exempt from the twelve per year limit (the limit applies only to surplus rifles). Obviously if someone or some entity was interested in a purchase that approached a wholesale quantity order, that would be negotiated separately – but that is a possibility as well down the road.
Will it be allowed in competitions?
Yes – anticipating this, we adjusted previous additions of our rule books to account for this. See Rule 5.1.4 M1 Garand-Type Service Rifle in the CMP Highpower Rifle Competition Rules and Rule 5.2.2 As-Issued M1 Garand in the CMP Games Rifle and Pistol Competition Rules.
What ammunition will it shoot?
The CMP’s newly manufactured M1 Garand rifles are built to the original specifications and maintain the same gas system tolerances as the WWII-era designs. As such, they require ammunition that stays within the correct pressure range to avoid excessive stress on the system. Our testing with Lake City (LC) and other M2 Ball spec loads confirms that it operates well within those parameters. These rounds produce the appropriate port pressures to ensure reliable cycling without risking damage to the system, making them a proven and safe choice for sustained use in CMP’s new Garand builds.
Will they be featured in future CMP Advanced Maintenance Classes (AMC)?
Absolutely! Stay tuned for exciting details. This class allows individuals to build their very own M1 Garand Rifle.
Will it “ping?”
Yes, just like the original when the last round is discharged, the enbloc clip will pop out with that historic and distinctive sound.
Will the receiver heel have the ridges seen on the test receivers?
Many of you noted the ridges on the heel of the test receivers. Since they were test receivers, we used them without the final finish. The post-test production receivers will be finished with no ridges.
Questions:
If you have any further questions, please post at https://thecmp.org/introducing-the-m1-garand-by-cmp-a-new-chapter-begins/, and we’ll do our best to answer. Thanks, as always, for your support of the CMP. Finally, I hope to see many of you at our upcoming competitions . . . CMP Bianchi Cup, Talladega D-Day Matches and the National Matches.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation that places its highest priority on firearms safety and marksmanship activities, with a focus on youth. CMP’s programs encourage personal growth and build life skills, with such initiatives as its junior training and competition programs, Affiliated Club program and scholarships providing support to citizens of all backgrounds across the nation. Learn more about the CMP at https://thecmp.org/.
